Banner Image: Timelapse composite of the January 2019 total lunar eclipse taken with an 8” Newtonian. Image credit: Jona Krahl
What you need to know
On Tuesday, September 17, 2024, there will be a Partial Lunar Eclipse. This event is of particular interest, as it will align with two other lunar events: The Harvest Moon and the first Supermoon of the year! A Harvest Moon is another name for whichever Full Moon falls closest to the autumnal equinox (September 21st), and a Supermoon occurs when the Moon is at perigee (closest approach of its orbit).
When Can YOU View this Event?
The partial lunar eclipse will begin at 8:41 pm ET and end at 12:47 am ET, with a total duration of 4 hours and 6 minutes. At 10:44 pm ET, the eclipse will reach its peak with approximately 3.6% coverage. Check out the chart below to see what time this event will be visible in your time zone!
| Time Zones | UTC | Atlantic | Eastern | Central | Mountain | Arizona | Pacific | Alaska |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moonrise | (Sep. 17th) 6:38 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 7:21 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 7:07 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 7:21 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 7:03 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 6:30 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 7:14 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 8:15 pm |
| Penumbral Stage Begins | (Sep. 18th) 12:41 am |
(Sep. 17th) 9:41 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 8:41 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 7:41 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 6:41 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 5:41 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 5:41 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 4:41 pm |
| Umbral Stage Begins | (Sep. 18th) 02:12 am |
(Sep. 17th) 11:12 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 10:12 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 9:12 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 8:12 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 7:12 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 7:12 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 6:12 pm |
| Peak of Eclipse (3.6%) | (Sep. 18th) 02:44 am |
(Sep. 17th) 11:44 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 10:44 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 9:44 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 8:44 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 7:44 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 7:44 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 6:44 pm |
| Umbral Stage Ends | (Sep. 18th) 03:15 am |
(Sep. 18th) 12:15 am |
(Sep. 17th) 11:15 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 10:15 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 9:15 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 8:15 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 8:15 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 7:15 pm |
| Penumbral Stage Ends | (Sep. 18th) 04:47 am |
(Sep. 18th) 01:47 am |
(Sep. 18th) 12:47 am |
(Sep. 17th) 11:47 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 10:47 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 9:47 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 9:47 pm |
(Sep. 17th) 7:47 pm |
| Moonset | (Sep. 18th) 6:53 am |
(Sep. 18th) 7:20 am |
(Sep. 18th) 7:15 am |
(Sep. 18th) 7:35 am |
(Sep. 18th) 7:19 am |
(Sep. 18th) 6:48 am |
(Sep. 18th) 7:32 am |
(Sep. 18th) 8:34 am |
What will the Moon look like?
Since this is a partial lunar eclipse, only a fraction of the Moon will be covered by the Earth’s Umbral shadow, however, it will be entirely covered by the lighter Penumbral Shadow. This means the Moon will appear slightly darker than average during the Penumbral phase, and during the umbral phase, a small sliver will appear a shade of orange.
While this is only a partial eclipse, the Harvest and Supermoon alignment means this event will be particularly spectacular with viewers on the west coast. Rising low on the eastern horizon, the Moon will appear much larger than normal and tinted by the Earth’s atmosphere and Penumbral shadow. Lunar Photographers should take note of this event as it will be an excellent chance to capture a stunning lunar landscape! If you want to learn more about imaging the Moon, check out our Lunar Eclipse Imaging Guide!
Learn More About Lunar Eclipses
What is a lunar eclipse, and how often do they occur? If you want to know the answers to these questions and more, dive into our AstronomyHub! Our AstronomyHub is constantly growing with more articles, guides, and so much more! Check out a curated list of our best Lunar Eclipse Articles below!
